The invention relates to installations for loading trains of pallets or containers with feet on a truck or other commonplace vehicle and unloading of the vehicle, without the loading or unloading quay having to be provided with specialized equipment.
A known solution for transferring such loads consists in using a fork lift having a fork which slides under the load, raises and moves it. Since the fork lift only transports one or two loads at a time, this solution is time consuming and expensive.
Another device, known under the name of "cake slice" comprises a conveyor with small diameter rollers which advances cantilever fashion over the vehicle to be loaded, then retracts from under the load while maintaining the load on the vehicle. Such a device can only load at a small distance and loads the vehicle from the sides. It cannot serve for unloading.
Known devices comprising air cushions or air jets require appropriate equipment on the floor of the vehicle to be loaded. The same goes for known devices comprising rolling platforms or conveyors.
Finally, for stacking bridge devices, which bring stacks of pallets on each side of the vehicles, these vehicles must be able to be opened on their large sides.